Election commission approves recall petition language

Meeting in a special called session Tuesday afternoon, the Cumberland County election commission approved the language in the recall petitions against city council members Danny Wyatt and Pam Harris.

A total of 2225 registered city voter signatures will have to be collected on the petitions in order for the questions to appear on the ballot.  Some 2300 voters cast ballots in the last city election.

Election officials said recall proponent Howard Burnette did not plan to try and meet the May 6 deadline to get the questions on the August ballot but instead planned to meet the June 24 deadline for the question to appear on the November 8 ballot.

For the recall to be successful, at least 66 percent of the voters who vote on the question must vote in favor of the recall.  Should either of the recalls be successful, council members remaining would appoint the replacements to serve until the next general election ballot. Two expiring seats on the council, currently held by Pete Souza and Jesse Kerley are also on the November ballot.